Can You Bring a Laptop to Court or Jury Duty? (2026)
Short answer: Usually allowed for jurors in the assembly room; for visitors it follows the phone rule. Each courthouse sets its own security rules, so check yours before you go.
At court (visitors, defendants, witnesses)
Where phones are allowed, laptops usually go through the x-ray belt too, but must stay closed in courtrooms. Where phones are banned for the public, laptops are banned as well.
At jury duty
Many jury assembly rooms allow laptops and offer Wi-Fi. Once you are picked for a trial, laptops are usually left in the jury room or collected.
Tips
- Charge it fully; outlets in jury rooms are scarce.
- Expect it to be x-rayed and possibly turned on for security.
- Do not use it in a courtroom.
104 of the 399 large county courthouses we track ban phones for the general public. Electronics rules follow the phone rule, so look up your courthouse: phone policy by county or the phone checker.
Related: Juror phone & laptop rules by county
Other Items
- a Smartwatch (Apple Watch)
- AirPods or Headphones
- Food and Snacks
- a Water Bottle
- a Book or Kindle
- a Phone Charger or Power Bank
- Medication
- a Vape or E-Cigarette
- a Pocket Knife
- Pepper Spray
- an Umbrella
- Your Children
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you bring a laptop to court?
Usually allowed for jurors in the assembly room; for visitors it follows the phone rule. Where phones are allowed, laptops usually go through the x-ray belt too, but must stay closed in courtrooms. Where phones are banned for the public, laptops are banned as well.
Can you bring a laptop to jury duty?
Many jury assembly rooms allow laptops and offer Wi-Fi. Once you are picked for a trial, laptops are usually left in the jury room or collected.